AutoBeGreen owner harkens to frugal upbringing

The old joke goes that if you remember the 60s, you weren’t really there.

Glenn Johnson, owner of the Exeter-based AutoBeGreen, a company specializing in unique green automotive and small engine products, remembers them well – so well, in fact, that they continue to inspire his life, his family and his business even today.

Growing up in Wayland, Massachusetts, Johnson recalls vividly the examples of conservation and frugality imparted by his grandfather – the near total eschewing of restaurants; the veritable basement hardware store of bolts and washers; the steadfast refusal to waste even the most seemingly trivial wares.

“My grandfather prided himself on being the cook of the family – he never wanted to eat out,” recalls Johnson. “That’s just how he was raised, and those values just became part of our household.”

Even at a young age, Glenn Johnson heard his granddad loud and clear: By 17, he had taken it upon himself to take regular trips to the town dump, which at the time was often a given town’s only recycling outlet. Eventually, Glenn simply started setting up his own back porch recycling station, complete with clearly marked bins for aluminum, glass, paper, and compost.

Then there was the great New England outdoors – that common inspirational impetus of many a New England environmentalist, from Emerson and Thoreau to Bill McKibben and countless in between.

“I did a lot of camping and hiking and fishing as a kid,” notes Johnson. “I’m still in awe every time I climb Mount Washington, and I’ve always thought to myself what I can do to help make sure it’s here for the next generation and the generation after that.”

Johnson eventually settled down in rural Connecticut, where he and his family presided over a seven-acre former dairy farm and two-century old farmhouse. Even then, the spirit of community and conservation were on full display.

“It was the place all the neighborhood kids wanted to hang out,” Johnson chuckles. “And I remember our kids telling their friends not to throw away or waste things. That’s how they grew up, in part because that’s how we grew up.”

After spending the better part of 30 years working in the automotive parts business, in 2008 Johnson decided it was high time he combined his love and respect for the environment with his deep automotive expertise.

AutoBeGreen, first opened in March of 2011, is reflective of Johnson’s unique personal and ethical synthesis – a beacon of forward-thinking innovation in an industry often chided for lagging behind the green times. From lifetime air filters that never have to be thrown away, to biodegradable motor oils (in biodegradable bottles, no less) and cleaners and “eco-meters,” AutoBeGreen’s ever-expanding stock is proof positive that any business can take steps towards helping make their industry a little more eco-friendly.

“No matter how green you are – whether you’re composting or recycling or whatever – everyone drives a car,” exclaims Johnson. “So what we’re trying to get people to realize is you can make these small changes, be a little greener, and it won’t cost you any more than the stuff you’re already buying.”

Johnson acknowledges that getting the word out – convincing hardcore greenies and reluctant converts alike that his product are both better for the environment and just as effective as the big brands – hasn’t been without its challenges.

“It can get frustrating at times,” notes Johnson. “But that’s why we’re lucky to be located where we are, in an area that tends to be more receptive to these ideas.”

What’s been less of a challenge for Johnson has been on the business-to-business side, where AutoBeGreen has staked out a unique turf by partnering with high-visibility companies and institutions including L.L. Bean, Shawnee Peak, Reverb, Bowdoin College, Andover Academy, Smith College, Amherst College, Bell & Flynn, and dozens of others.

Last month, AutoBegreen joined Green Alliance, a Portsmouth organization that represents over 100 local, green-oriented businesses, becoming the first of its kind to do so.

Today, Glenn and his family – wife Weezie, son Kent, and daughters Heidi and Honey, the last of which Johnson credits for christening the company with its name, and all of whom have helped in the development of the business – are focusing their efforts on getting more drivers to make the green switch.

For a family with decades of green street cred, dozens of well-known institutions for clients, and a green awareness here on the Seacoast growing by the day, it’s not a matter of if the Johnson’s will break through, but when.

“All of the green alternatives we offer are practical ones, where even if you’re driving a Chevy Suburban and have five kids, there are still practical and easy ways to do your part,” says Johnson. “And it’s also affordable, which I think will be the deciding factor for people.”

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Green Alliance strives to increase the profits of businesses that are having the least impact on the environment and to encourage more sustainable business practices through "Business-to-Business" mentoring and strength in partnership. We also want ... Read Full